Anyone else going STIR CRAZY?

SueDonim My condolences too. The mother of a friend died last week. It certainly makes it real. :-(

Well, I am thoroughly bored now and got a bit tearful tonight when I looked in my diary and saw what I was planning to do next week. I live on my own and since I retired two years ago, I've focused on building a new life based on the WI and some local social groups. I'm not a fan of housework so don't find cleaning very exciting! I love crafting, I have several projects on the go but even those are boring when I do them for too long!

I think I need to get my big girl knickers on and get a grip. It's too easy just to vegetate and cut myself off so I think I'll set myself small daily targets and also be more proactive in contacting people instead of waiting for them to contact me.

I'm going food shopping tomorrow which might be the highlight of my week.

We have not seen a soul for a week now. We are isolating completely for health reasons and receive a food box at the front step.
It is weird! I find it slightly easier than DH who is restless. He spends a lot of time on the phone.
I can sit and knit and listen to the radio for hours. But it is like house arrest. The alternative is worse!
Luckily we have a large house. That's all I'm saying...

We are still allowed to go for a walk here in Australia - on our own is best but women are allowed to have a companion for safety reasons. That may change by this evening as the Premier has said we will be going into lockdown from this evening.

Tasmania has just had it's first death from the virus, and not far from where we live.

Luckily I am happy being home although OH and I are getting on each other's nerves but we are always bickering anyway.

Plenty to do though for both of us - other people are not so lucky.

We've been home since March 12th,It hasn't been a problem until yesterday when we also lost a friend not to CV ,a very sudden nexpected heart attack.We feel so bad that we cant visit the family or attend the funeral.Difficult times

here's a soppy suggestion, those of you who are sequestered with a DP, or relative/ valued friend, could you write little notes of appreciation and hide them about the place.
this has just occurred to me, so wanted to share it with you.
perhaps because i have no one now to direct them to, and wish i had done so when i could. it is so easy to take people for granted, and to get annoyed over such dross, unimportant rubbish, often rooted in egotism. i know i did.
spike milligan, used to leave miniature letters with drawings for his pre-school children, among the flowers in the garden. they were led to believe that the fairies wrote them.

I nearly didn’t come back to this thread because of some of the first few responses. They made me feel that I was to blame for feeling like that.

However I’ve been reassured by those of you who’ve experienced that ‘stir crazy’ feeling too or ‘bored out of my mind’ as a friend put it when he rang yesterday.

It doesn’t help that I can’t get out to walk. I feel I understand my dog now and how excited he gets when there’s movement in the street. It won’t be long before I start barking at passers-by.

Everybody experiences the world differently and this crisis shows that more than ever. I'm glad you came back. Those of us who have built a fragile life based on classes, shopping, friends, walks and so on and have them suddenly removed are struggling.
I am struggling massively, so I get where youre coming from OP.

Pikachu and Teacheranne, I am totally with your feelings. I live by myself - which I normally absolutely love. Moved into my lovely flat only a few months ago and worked very hard at building up local social groups mainly with U3A, giving me something to do most days. Also, had friends coming to stay for a few days, and I was going to stay with friends. Suddenly, here I am stuck indoors. My flat is clean, and as I only moved in recently, all the cupboards are sorted, clean and tidy. I had planned to sort out my balcony after Easter, but now cannot get pots, compost and plants. Do try to get out each day for a short while on my mobility scooter and am still doing my own shopping. It is hard to motivate myself to get dressed each morning - seems to be a waste of time - but I do so and am trying very hard to keep to normal times of eating, going to bed and getting up. I try to watch as few news programmes on CV as I can, prefer some escapism programmes recorded on my Humax. Doing a little knitting, but usually, only in the evenings - scared of running out of yarn. Trying to write a daily diary, and am making at least one phone call to friends each day. Also skyping my g.children. Very fed up, and seriously concerned how long my mental health (usually very strong) can stand this. Some afternoons, I do meet with one of my daughters in the local park on the beach, we stay well away from one another, but at least, for a short time I can chat to someone.
I am more than happy for either or both of you, or anybody else to PM me here so we can have virtualy conversations to try to support each other.

Thanks for the invite to PM. But on the other hand if those of us who feel like this can chat on this thread then it is more inclusive. Hopefully those who haven’t experienced these feelings, yet, will allow us that privilege and not tear into us.

We are all different. Some are crafters, I am not. Neither can I abide some of the rubbish on TV but accept that others find that interesting or diverting. Some are able-bodied, as I used to be until recently.

But just to have some of you acknowledge you feel the same does help.

There are some good programmes on Radio 4, I enjoy the afternoon theatre play at 2.15 - 3 pm most days. Do think it is important, if at all possible, to get out of doors for a while each day. Do you have a garden?
I do some exercises each (well, most) days. Do not bother with those shown on tv - I was a tutor and examiner of gymnastic coaches for many years, and have made up my own routing to suit me, but for others with less knowledge there is lots of help via media - even if you are confined to a chair, there are exercises you can do. Motivation is the most difficult part of it.
Yes, more than happy to talk on here, on another thread I have been involved in for nearly a year, I have made some really good virtual friends.
There is no simple 'one size to fit all' solution. Some will relish having time to do very little, others will equally relish the time to catch up with stuff they have not been able to do But I suspect that many, particularly older, folk, particularly those living alone, and many without contact via technology it is going to a difficult even dangerous time.
So, let us give each other as much support as possible, and no guilt trips about our feelings or lack of abilities to keep ourselves amused. Remember, solitary confinement has always been used as a punishment/torture - and that is what we are suffering from

Yes I am a lot of the time
Husband and I do get on fine and our place is enough that he has the spare room and potters with his things . I have loads of things to do .
Having being retired for almost five years I am not doing too badly
However I miss popping out for coffee or lunch with a friend , going to the Westfield's to have a sticky beak , get my nails done.
Today was a hard day for some reason . Hoping tomorrow isn't as bad

Yes!

No. I'm loving the time to do all the jobs I've been putting off for ever. Like sorting photos, my wardrobe, contacting friends, reading> I live on my own but so do most of my friends.
I keep thinking I've got months to do these things, but I'm worried I'll suddenly find we're free and I haven't done them all. I also write. Get busy, no time to climb the walls. Good luck.

Don’t think we’ll suddenly find we’re free Notright, but I know what you mean. We won’t have any excuses for jobs not done after all this.

I'm with wildswan preferring the words "Safe at home".
I love my own company and not needing an excuse to get out of unwelcome invitations. DH is the opposite and is going crazy. He has volunteered to help and is on a list to return to the job he retired from if needed. He keeps checking his messages as he would love to go.

No. Ordered Mr Motivator DVD to exercise to this morning. I live quietly anyway. Really things are not that different

Yes feeling very hemmed in. We live in a pretty part of the world and have a garden and a nice view so can be grateful for that.
Should still be in Australia at the moment and came home over two weeks early and struggling with reality here. We should have been away for months so had emptied fridge and freezer and run down other goods to come back to empty shelves and panic buying and everything changing on a daily basis over which we have little control.
I have bad arthritis in both knees and can't get acupuncture or physiotherapy so relying on painkillers. Husband off cycling up hills every day so he's alright but my knees won't let me. Managing online Pilates class which is fun for now but not enough.
Find I am paranoid on a walk outside if people come too close and that makes me stay in more.
Also I have noticed those in cars driving like idiots and people wandering in the road as if no cars will come!
My house is tidy, I have already emptied the loft and tidied it up. Knitting projects all sorted into bags with pattern and needles ( enough to last until at least Christmas).All drawers and wardrobe done just the dreaded cleaning to do.
Maybe I will just read another few chapters.....

Yes really I am with Teacheranne I get easily bored and like people contact. Today gave up on food shop when faced with a queue of 20 people waiting to go in the supermarket on a one in one out basis.

I'm off to the shops soon, I've not been since the lockdown started, I just hope the Coop is better stocked than last week. I'm getting very excited at actually seeing someone face to face!

I've decided to try some of the virtual tours that museums, tourist attractions etc are offering, just got to find them online! Maybe we could share any we use?

I agree on having a thread where those of us who are finding this time difficult can chat and support each other - should we start a new thread?

Dear Pikachu do you have a hobby? I have been in the house 3 weeks now as I have health problems. Hubby working from home. I plan some thing each day no matter what. Today it is to plant up 5 pots in garden and hoe border, do washing, clean upstairs and mow lawns. Later I shall make a cake and then some knitting. I retired a year ago from 40 years working in NHS as a qualified nurse. I have learnt to structure each day and that is how I'm managing in isolation. If you get up to trying to do without planning you get more frustrated. Tomorrow I shall be cleaning downstairs, ironing, seeding 6 pots and knitting. Exercise will be daily for 30 mins, currently doing the Joe Wicks, brilliant fun. Enjoy your day. Xxx

If any of you can sew the NHS are asking people to make laundry bags, scrubs etc. I have a few old sheets so have put myself down to make laundry bags. Similar to making a pillow case and same size. May make a few scrub caps with other remnants.

I've mastered the art of wall-climbing - just got to learn to get down again.

YES!! DH is not good at being cooped up so is very touchy & I like to get out too. Having my daily walk alone but I really need to DO something. I have been cooking non stop but freezers full now- just put a steak & kidney pudding in the steamer ready for tonight.
I will do my yoga later but now weather not so good & I can't get out to do some gardening I will be stir crazy by lunchtime.

No stir crazy here. Being allowed to stay in my house away from people and not having to go out suits me fine. I have books to read, movies to watch, games to play, craft to do.